New year offers new chance to eat healthier at restaurants

By Mariecar Mendoza, Staff Writer

Posted:
01/01/2013 03:01:38 PM PST

Chef James Graham passes of a brunch order to his server Noelle Bernaert. Graham opened Ba Restaurant purposely without a fridge or walk-in freezer to ensure that there will always be fresh food in the restaurant. Ba, a French restaurant, opened in April with rich but healthy food in mind. (John McCoy / Staff Photographer)

After that glittery ball dropped, millions of people around the world vowed to break some bad habits and learn some good ones.

And eating healthier and losing weight are always among the most popular new year's resolutions, according to the federal government's website, www.USA.gov.

That's certainly the case for Burbank resident Louise Paziak.

"It's my New Year's resolution every year," Paziak said, laughing.

But for Paziak and other food-loving Americans, sticking to that diet doesn't mean being a hermit and eating bland food at home.

"Restaurants are definitely making it easier these days to eat well, especially the restaurants that display calories," said Paziak, 59. "We tend to deceive ourselves into thinking we're eating right when in fact sometimes the calories of that huge salad are more than a steak dinner."

Chef James Graham of Ba Restaurant served up this steak and potato breakfast. (John McCoy / Staff Photographer)

Thanks to more forthcoming and progressive menus, Paziak said she's actually been able to lose weight in spite of eating out on the town more.

"There are some obstacles, but you can go to just about any restaurant, eat well and keep those pounds off," said Ruth Frechman, spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Frechman, a registered dietitian, Burbank-based certified personal trainer and author of "The Food is My Friend Diet," said restaurants have come a long way to turn delicious food into friend not foe.

"They want to serve customers what they want, and with the demand growing, the industry is shaping along with it," said Angelica Pappas, spokeswoman for the California Restaurant Association.

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State legislation has also helped spur the healthy food movement locally and nationwide.

"California has introduced restaurant laws over the years that have resulted in a major shift. Everywhere you turn, you can find restaurants offering lower sodium, gluten-free, whole grain," Pappas said.

Pappas added that while buzz about the desire for healthier food options has been around for years, "in the last two years, it's reached a fever pitch" when childhood obesity gained national attention.

"It reached a breaking point, and parents started to actually make those changes," Frechman said. "That meant whole families started making changes."

Healthful children meals and children's nutrition are among the top five food trends of 2013, which also includes consumer desires for more gluten-free, lower-sodium, lower-calorie and small-portion meals, according to a survey conducted by the National Restaurant Association.

"And restaurant operators are really starting to see people ordering differently," Pappas said. "Wanting to eat healthier while out on the town is not just a discussion anymore, it's actually happening."

Chef James Graham of Ba Restaurant made a yogurt and fruit salad as well as an arugula and heirloom tomato salad for one of his customers. Graham purposely opened his restaurant without a fridge or walk-in freezer to ensure that there will always be fresh food in the restaurant. Ba, a French restaurant, opened in April with rich but healthy food in mind. (John McCoy / Staff Photographer)

In the months prior to opening Ba Restaurant in Highland Park, which serves "Cali-French" cuisine - French classics with a more health-conscious twist - co-owner and Chef James Graham said there wasn't a day that he didn't get feedback from people requesting gluten-free, dairy-free and other healthy options.

"That really did affect the final menu," Graham said. "The consumers spoke and I listened."

Ba, which opened in April, gets fresh food daily and does not have a freezer or walk-in refrigerator, he said.

Consumer tastebuds and the desire to eat healthier have put many restaurateurs in the pressure cooker, forcing chefs to seek organic and local produce and challenging them to dish up tasty plates that ensure diners get the grains and vegetables they should be eating.

"It's a lot more work - because you have to go to the farmers market all the time, do more prep work - but the payoff is good for us and our customers," Graham said. "People want to eat without guilt and they'll often pay more to feel good about what they consume. I think chefs and restaurateurs need to pay attention to that."

Portion control is also important.

In fact, Los Angeles County health officials have sought to emphasize that message with the public recently, launching a campaign in October to promote portion control. Billboards display different-sized versions of the same foods, with the caloric difference between each to emphasize how much can be saved by eating smaller amounts.

The campaign was launched to fight a growing obesity epidemic. In Los Angeles, the number of obese people had increased to 23.6 percent of adults, up from 13.6 percent in 1997.

Other areas have launched similar efforts, with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg banning large containers of sugary drinks, and California increasing the requirements for posting calories on menus.

Graham said compared to those days when bigger seemed better, his plates are "minuscule."

"I just don't think we have to bury people in piles of food," he said.

Graham added that protein from steak to chicken and fish are typically 6 to 7 ounces on his restaurant's plates, and restaurant-determined portion control can be a major help for new dieters.

Sharing is part of Paziak's strategy when she's dining out, which she finds not only helps reduce calorie intake but saves money. That goes for the ever-popular pork belly dishes that many gastropubs and hip new venues are serving up, Frechman added.

"When it comes to losing weight, you can enjoy anything you want if you can just stop when you're satisfied," Frechman said. "That means pulling away from the table and taking the rest home. That's key."

Another key, Frechman said, is to make sure the plate has a small amount of protein, a small portion of carbohydrates like potatoes while the other half of the plate is stacked with fruits and vegetables.

As unappetizing that may sound, Frechman said flavor-searchers don't have to settle for just steamed veggies.

"The choices these days are so creative. There are so many exotic and creative ways to serve up healthy food these days," she said.

For instance, kale has recently become an elevated, hip leafy green that can come be ordered as chips, a wrap or in smoothie form.

"When I was a waitress in college we used kale as garnish on the plate and never thought of eating it - no one ever did," Frechman said of her restaurant stint in the 1970s. "Now it's such a hot item, and that's great because it's one of the healthiest foods out there."

Graham said he loves the trend because it has prompted chefs to incorporate more vegetables when just a decade ago chefs were the worst advocates.

"So many chefs back in the day would offer soggy spinach so of course no one wanted veggies as a side," Graham said. "But now we're doing some great stuff with spinach, kale and leeks to actually make them the stars of many plates."

And Graham really believes as more chefs listen to diners' desire to eat great, proportional food, eating out and eating healthy "is going to get easier and easier."

Tips for healthy eating out

Certified dietitian Ruth Frechman, the spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, offers a few tips for healthy dining out:

Don't feel obligated to finish everything on your plate.

Watch your free bread and butter or chips and salsa intake while waiting for your entree.

When eating salads, order the dressing on the side and stay light on the dressing when pouring it on yourself.

Try not to drink your calories in the form of sodas, sugary juices or alcoholic beverages.